Oct. 6, 2006
At the Council’s Sept. meeting, two new Board members were unanimously approved and welcomed to the Board: Steven J. Burton and Michael Scheck. Steven Burton is an attorney and managing partner with Broad and Cassel’s Tampa office. Both Mr. Burton and his firm are Council partners and supporters. Mr. Burton’s other service includes: Board of Directors and Vice Chair of Florida’s Alzheimer’s Center and Research Institute; and outside General Counsel to the Florida House of Representatives, Technology and Information. Michael Scheck is a former South Florida Annenberg Challenge (Council predecessor) Board Member who was instrumental in developing and implementing that initiative. He is also the Past President of Sweet Paper Sales Corporation in Hialeah and of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and serves on the National Board of United Jewish Communities.
Congratulations to our 4th Annual $10,000 Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award Finalists--Linda Geller, West Tampa Elementary, Hillsborough; Alejandro Perez, at Comstock Elementary, Miami-Dade; and Nongongoma Majova-Seane, at Eugene Butler Middle School, Duval. The award criteria considers three focus areas: student and school achievement increase—gains and growth; empowerment of staff’s leadership; and meaningful community/business partnership involvement. The winner will be announced at a special event Nov. 15, 2006 at the Bank United Center at the University of Miami. The Award and the Event are sponsored by the Cobb Family Foundation, Edward W. Easton, Richard & Susan Finkelstein, Baptist Health South Florida, PL Dodge Foundation and Publix Super Markets Charities. More information about the accomplishments of the finalists follows.
Excitement and interest in the Council’s Executive PASS© program is spreading throughout the state, most recently in Hillsborough. On Sept. 25, Council Executive Director Dr. Elaine Liftin was joined by Hillsborough Superintendent Mary Ellen Elia; local business leaders; Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio; Jose Valiente, Chair of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce; and Senior Vice President Kim Ray and Vice President Mary Ann Fullerton of JP Morgan Chase, to learn more about Executive PASS. JPMorgan Chase, who is sponsoring the development and implementation of Executive PASS in Hillsborough and other districts, hosted the meeting. Ralph Hewitt, a veteran educator, and published education author and researcher, will be the Hillsborough area program coordinator. Executive PASS is a mentoring program which pairs Principals with business leaders. It is now active in nine Miami-Dade schools.
The second in a series of three Assistant Principal Leadership Forums was held in Ft. Lauderdale on Oct. 3-5. The first was in Tampa on Sept. 20-22. It received high evaluation marks for skills learned, relevancy to instructional improvement, data concentration, and leadership empowerment. It also provided a Science session, particularly helpful with the new inclusion of Science in the FCAT grade. The next Forum will be in Jacksonville on Oct. 25-27. They are sponsored by the Florida Department of Education’s William Cecil Golden Professional Development Program for School Leaders (DELTA) and through generous sponsorship including: Publix Super Markets Charities, JPMorgan Chase, The St. Joe Company, New York Life and Comcast.
Jeffrey Miller is sponsoring a PASS model at Holmes Elementary in Miami-Dade, working with Principal Dahlia Gonzalez. This is his third PASS model, with two currently active at Hialeah Elementary which focus on improving student achievement through incentives and rewards, improving attendance, a multi-use computer lab, and parent engagement. Jeffrey Miller, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Business Leader of the Year Award winner and Principal Gonzalez, will work with school and district staff, community members, and Council and PASS program staff, to develop the partnership and plan school improvement efforts.
Dr. Elaine Liftin led a panel of distinguished Florida educational, government and business leaders at the United State’s Chamber of Commerce’s Business and Education Workforce Summit Oct. 4-6 in Dallas. Joining Dr. Liftin to discuss “Partnerships and Executive Mentorships: Involving Business Leaders at the Grass Roots” were Florida Representative Ralph Arza, preK-12 Education Committee and Education Council; and Henry Pollock, the Director of Professional Development—Educator Retention—for the Florida Department of Education. The panel shared effective models and proven best practices in education/business partnerships and mentorships in Florida. The Council is active in the US Chamber’s Business Education Network.
For more Council information visit: www.changeeducation.org. For information about how you can support the Council, please contact President & Executive Director Dr. Elaine Liftin or VP of Educational Advancement, Dawn Wilson, at 954.727.9909.
The $10,000 Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award
The $10,000 Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award was established by the Council for Educational Change Board to honor its founder, Leonard Miller, who was also the Chair of the South Florida Annenberg Challenge, the Council’s predecessor organization. Mr. Miller believed in the power of Principal Leadership as the catalyst for increased student achievement and quality education. This award honors his significant educational legacy and vision. Now in its fourth year, the Award and Event are generously sponsored by the Cobb Family Foundation, Edward W. Easton, Richard & Susan Finkelstein, Baptist Health South Florida, PL Dodge Foundation and Publix Super Markets Charities.
The Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award event will be held on November 15, 2006, starting with a Reception at 11:30 followed by the Awards Luncheon at noon at the University of Miami Bank United Center. Award applicants came from the pool of principals who participated in Council programs, incorporating best practices, and were judged by these three criteria:
- student and school achievement—gains and growth
- staff leadership development and empowerment
- meaningful community and business partnership and involvement
The applications were reviewed by a panel of educator and community leaders. While only one of the following three top performing principals will receive the $10,000 Principal Leadership Award, all three will be honored for their exemplary performance. In addition to the winner’s award, last year the other finalists each received $5,000. All award monies are for personal use.
Linda V. Geller Geller is the principal of West Tampa Elementary, Hillsborough. With a “can do” attitude and energy, Ms. Geller has transformed her elementary school from a “D” to a “B” using these strategies:
- motivating her faculty to turn almost overwhelming challenges into opportunities
- changing parent meetings from a handful of attendees to standing-room only sessions
- energizing the business community to provide mentoring opportunities for students
Under her leadership, achievement has increased, student attendance is up and discipline problems are down. West Tampa Elementary has a free or reduced lunch population of 92% and faces many urban challenges. The school’s Council program PASS partner and corporate mentor, Robert W. Graham III, says “Ms. Geller’s positive and high energy leadership style has changed an atmosphere of near hopelessness and defeat into one of enthusiasm and confidence in the future of the school and the students’ performance.” Council programs: PASS, Wachovia Teachers and Teaching Initiative
Alejandro Perez is the former Principal of Comstock Elementary, Miami-Dade. In 2002, when he started as Principal, it was a failing school. Under his leadership, Comstock moved to a “B” by:
- providing before and after school tutoring for students in all grades and Saturday math academies
- hosting numerous special activities to encourage and engage parents to take an active role
- encouraging the faculty to take full advantage of professional growth opportunities
Some 98% of Comstock’s student population is eligible for free or reduced price lunch. Governor Jeb Bush has called Perez’s accomplishments an example of “how incredible things can happen”, and credited Perez for making Comstock Elementary a “place where children want to be.” Mr. Perez is currently the Principal of Coral Way Elementary, Miami-Dade. Council programs: Executive PASS, 2005 Florida Leadership Academy, 2006 Miami- Instructional Leadership Academy.
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